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- Recently, 17 Indian fishermen were detained by the Sri Lankan Navy while fishing near Neduntheevu Island.
- About Neduntheevu Island:
- Neduntheevu, also called Neduntivu, is the largest island in the Palk Strait, situated in the northern region of Sri Lanka. It is also known as Delft Island, a name given by Dutch colonists during their rule. The island spans an area of 50 square kilometers, with a length of 8 kilometers and a maximum width of approximately 6 kilometers. It is the largest of the seven inhabited islands in the area.
- The island has a distinct flat, oval shape, and is often swept by winds, creating a refreshing and tranquil environment. There are no rivers on the island, and its primary freshwater sources are surface water gathered in natural depressions and man-made ponds.
- The landscape is characterized by dry shrubs and semi-arid tropical plants, along with tall palm trees that enhance the island’s coastal atmosphere. Additionally, there is a Dutch fort made from coral stones, which stands as a historic relic.
- Home to a population of around 4,800 Tamil people, the inhabitants are mainly concentrated in the northern half of the island, residing in small settlements.
- The Employee Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has announced an extension to the deadline for activating Universal Account Numbers (UAN) and linking Aadhaar with bank accounts.
- About Universal Account Number (UAN):
- The Universal Account Number (UAN) is a unique identification number assigned to all salaried employees who contribute a portion of their earnings to the Employee Provident Fund (EPF). This 12-digit number is issued to each EPF member and is linked to their personal details.
- Generated by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), the UAN is authenticated by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. One of its key features is that the UAN remains the same throughout an employee’s career.
- Whenever an employee changes jobs, their EPF account number and Member Identification Number (Member ID) may change, but the UAN remains constant. If an employee already has a UAN, they can provide it to the new employer, who will then link the new Member ID to the existing UAN.
- The UAN acts as a consolidated reference for multiple Member IDs assigned to an individual by different employers. This facilitates the employee in viewing and managing all linked Member IDs. Additionally, it enables the EPFO to track the employee's career progression and job changes efficiently.
- In a recent joint operation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Navy, a munitions storage depot in Russia’s Rostov region was targeted using the Neptune missile.
- About the Neptune Missile:
- The R-360 Neptune is a subsonic cruise missile developed by Ukraine, originally designed as an anti-ship weapon and later adapted for land-based strikes. It is based on the Russian Kh-35 cruise missile, which is known by NATO as the AS-20 Kayak.
- The Neptune missile system entered active service with the Ukrainian Navy in March 2021.
- Features: The missile weighs 870 kg and has a length of 5.05 meters. It can travel at speeds of up to 900 km/h, flying at altitudes ranging from 10 to 300 meters and dipping to just three meters during its final approach to evade enemy air defenses.
- The Neptune has a maximum range of 400 km and carries a combat payload of 350 kilograms, with the anti-ship variant carrying 150 kg. The missile is equipped with a satellite positioning system to guide it during the flight’s initial phase, and in its final phase, it relies on an infrared homing system for precision targeting.